Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Celastrol Derivatives with Improved Cytotoxic Selectivity and Antitumor Activities

J Nat Prod. 2021 Jul 23;84(7):1954-1966. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00262. Epub 2021 Jun 25.

Abstract

Cdc37 associates kinase clients to Hsp90 and promotes the development of cancers. Celastrol, a natural friedelane triterpenoid, can disrupt the Hsp90-Cdc37 interaction to provide antitumor effects. In this study, 31 new celastrol derivatives, 2a-2d, 3a-3g, and 4a-4t, were designed and synthesized, and their Hsp90-Cdc37 disruption activities and antiproliferative activities against cancer cells were evaluated. Among these compounds, 4f, with the highest tumor cell selectivity (15.4-fold), potent Hsp90-Cdc37 disruption activity (IC50 = 1.9 μM), and antiproliferative activity against MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 0.2 μM), was selected as the lead compound. Further studies demonstrated 4f has strong antitumor activities both in vitro and in vivo through disrupting the Hsp90-Cdc37 interaction and inhibiting angiogenesis. In addition, 4f exhibited less toxicity than celastrol and showed a good pharmacokinetics profile in vivo. These findings suggest that 4f may be a promising candidate for development of new cancer therapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chaperonins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Female
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Pentacyclic Triterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • CDC37 protein, human
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Pentacyclic Triterpenes
  • Chaperonins
  • celastrol